Project Overview

The Jeffreys discovered our services by talking with one of our representatives at the London Spring Home & Garden Show. A meeting was set up to begin the design process and the final result is breathtaking.

A full front yard renovation was in order and replaced with a bold, linear and contemporary design. Raised planter boxes in the front keep a raised and linear profile from the street. The slope of the driveway makes this front yard feel even grander than it is and this grand feeling was amplified by creating a large entry platform at the front door.

Project Specs

Date: Sept – Oct 2016

Category: Driveway, Front Walkways, Gardens

Location: London, ON

Type: Residential

Value: $40 000 – $50 000

Project Details

The driveway and walkways were replaced with Unilock Northshore Almond Grove pavers and accented with Beacon Hill Smooth Midnight Charcoal banding. The two pavers differ in colour as well as texture, Northshore has a slight texture to it which is more traditional style and by incorporating the smooth texture of Beacon Hill it makes the project as a whole feel more modern. The driveway was sealed the following year in the spring of 2017.

A significant grade change between the houses required a retaining wall along the side walkway which was built from Oaks Fieldstone. In-Lites were installed under the wall coping to light up the otherwise dark side of the house and enhance the entrance to the backyard.

Project Overview

Although Courtland does provide Landscape Design services, there are times when the client has already completed the design process with another Landscape Designer or Architect and requests our services for a quality install. The Glover’s had a plan in place as well as a general contractor overseeing the project as a whole and Courtland was hired to install the gardens, although the scope of work quickly expanded as our crews began to work.

Although the original design was complete with a planting plan multiple changes throughout the construction process changed bed shapes and as a relationship grew with the client she made a few preferences clear and before the end of the project an entirely new planting plan had been put in place. The priority was put on incorporating native species within a very particular colour scheme.

Project Specs

Date: May – July 2016

Category: Full Property Gardens & Structures

Location: Banner, ON

Type: Residential

Value: $50 000 – $80 000

Project Details

All new structures were installed in the backyard including a unique clothesline with natural stone step landing platform and oversized gabion stone pillars. These pillars matched the pergola type structure that was installed on the new concrete patio. The project has a one-of-a-kind industrial style that won’t be seen in any other backyard. Utilizing many different materials such as chainmail screens for shade, large steel beams and wood rafters to tie back to the wood decking.

Courtland cannot take credit for the decking or retaining walls seen here.

Project Overview

Prior to this project the front yard of the local McDonald’s was so crowded with overgrown plants that it was difficult to see the front entrance to the restaurant. The existing outdoor flagstone patio was uneven and areas had to be blocked off to ensure customers wouldn’t trip. Finally the outdoor tables made of large boulders were so desperately in need of an update there was nothing to do but get dispose of them entirely and replace them with the modern restaurant furniture you see in McDonalds everywhere.

There were multiple design changes throughout the process to finally settle on a very liner and modern design for the patio softened by a flowing organic shaped garden. The majority of the front was returned to turf so the space doesn’t feel too cluttered and both the patio and the restaurant are easily visible from the road so customers can easily see those golden arches.

An unsightly transformer box and hydro pole out front by the main entrance did pose some design challenges as they would need to be somehow camouflaged. To tie everything together we ended up building a small wall around the transformer and the pole to match the patio seating wall. This was backfilled with soil and planted with tall grasses to help conceal the utilities.

Project Specs

Date: May 2015

Category: Front Patio

Location: Tillsonburg, ON

Type: Commercial

Value: $22,000 – $26,000

Project Details

We wanted to create a sense of intimacy and privacy on the patio but maintain sightlines and a nice view out of the restaurant front windows. It was decided that a seating wall was a good compromise which would define the space and provide extra casual seating. Unilock Brussel Block dimensional wall stone was chosen to build the wrap around seating wall and Unilock Brussel Block pavers with a Unilock Series 3000 Granite banding to create the patio. A neutral gray tone was chosen which keeps with the modern updates and complements the classic red and yellow McDonalds colouring without being distracting.

The plant choices are minimal and nothing too large was chosen as we didn’t want to end up with a similar situation as what we had started with. Annabelle Hydrangeas, Dwarf Fountain Grass, Russian Sage and Daylilies are planted using both linear and mass planting techniques. The linear planting of the hydrangeas accentuate the flowing shape of the garden while the masses of perennials give pops of colour throughout the summer.

The final result is a beautiful modern outdoor patio which now reflects the contemporary updates that had been done to the interior of the restaurant. This outdoor space invites customers in from the road, provides great views for both indoor and outdoor customers, and complements the architecture of the building rather than conceal it.

Project Overview

The McLaughlin residence is a beautifully renovated home just outside of Tillsonburg, Ontario. They have been faithful clients for many years of Courtland PPM and so when it came time to update the exterior we were happy when they asked us to come up with a design. As we have worked with them for years both with residential and commercial projects we had an idea of their style and so we designed according to that context.

The front entrance was to be formal with evergreens and mass plantings. An extended concrete walkway and steps to the front door is lined with hicks yew to draw the eye to the front door. Armourstone edging along the front garden adds height to the front and creates contrast between the dark green of the plantings and the light grey of the natural stone. Flowering shrubs and perennials add colour throughout the growing season within the evergreen border of boxwoods and yews.

Project Specs

Date: May 2015

Category: Full Property

Location: Tillsonburg, ON

Type: Residential

Value: $35,000 – $50,000

Project Details

Because the house is built into a hill it appears to be a bungalow from the front but from the back is a mounting 3 storey building reminiscent of a villa. A winding natural stone staircase was built along the side to take guests from the driveway down to the ground level patio. Garden areas and planting pockets were created between the steps and the house to soften all of the stone used. An informal flagstone pathway in the turf was added which leads from the steps to the concrete patio. Since there is so much natural stone required along the steps and garden areas the green turf area is a nice alternative to break up the hard surfaces of the natural stone, the stone veneer of the house and concrete patio.

A similar armourstone staircase was previously installed along the opposite side but was finished off this year with the armourstone retaining walls along the garden and one also stretching into the lawn area and curling around a paper birch tree planted in the hill. By bringing the natural stone out further into the yard it allows for a more gradual slope in the turf. It also helps to keep the landscape in scale with the size of the house.

A common mistake of do-it-yourselfers is creating a garden that is too small for the size of the house because they are trying to reduce maintenance and it ends up looking unbalanced. Gardens don’t have to be packed to have an impact, these gardens use a lot of mass planting for pops of colour and evergreen shrubs for formality, however mulch between each mass is visible and this negative space can be just as important to create emphasis. Accent shrubs and trees such as Japanese maples and paper birch are placed throughout the design to add height interest and create focal points in the garden.

Project Overview

Although the majority of our projects begin with the design process taking place through our office there are cases where the customer has purchased a landscape plan by another design company or Landscape Architect and wants us to provide quotes to install the proposed work. In this case it was pre-determined that the customers wanted to use both landscape companies due to previous relationships and we were tasked with installing the softscape.

Using dynamic straight lines the hardscape layout accentuates the front entrance and is anchored by the birch trees on either side. These add height to the front garden and help keep the gardens in scale with the house. Uplights were installed under each birch tree as well as the maple trees lining the driveway. Night lighting is a great way to accent focal points and softly light up the landscape without the use of harsh spotlights.

Project Specs

Date: August 2015

Category: Full Property

Location: Otterville, ON

Type: Residential

Value: $30,000 – $40,000

Project Details

The monochromatic planting scheme brightens the architecture without overpowering it and complements the dark grey exterior. The linear style of the hardscaping is mimicked by the straight lines of planting. A classic boxwood hedge outlines all gardens in the front and is filled with rows of flowering shrubs and perennials.

In the backyard the contemporary style continues but the monochromatic colour scheme is replaced with mass plantings of perennial colour and flowering hydrangeas around the poolside. Multi-branched red bud trees along the back will one day provide shade in the back corner and beautiful spring colour as they bud.

Inside the pool area there is also a synthetic turf area which softens the concrete poolside surface but can still be used as a functional lounging area. Real grass poses many problems beside a pool such as: getting the lawn mower into the area, being careful not to allow the clippings to blow into the pool, would require irrigation, etc. Although synthetic turf is more of an upfront cost the long term benefits are substantial; once installed it requires zero maintenance. No watering, no mowing, no mess!

Wrapping around the screened in porch is a square slab step stone pathway with turf between the slabs. The installation process can be time consuming to cut each piece of sod to fit perfectly between each stone but the outcome is worth the chore. This is a great finishing touch that adds just another element of the contemporary style to the overall design. There was a concern that the sod in between the stones would not root properly but with some guidance the homeowners have done a fantastic job ensuring everything was watered properly and the finished product looks great!

Project Overview

The Wellhauser home was newly built in 2015 and the homeowners were eager to get the exterior looking just as beautiful as the interior. They met with our owner John Veldman to discuss their vision for the project. He took this back to the office and came up with an eye-catching design for their front entrance. Though there were a few minor changes to plant choices upon client review the layout of the design remained the same. The only item left to decide was paver style; John suggested the Unilock Artline paver which is a very linear paver and lends itself well to the sleek modern look they were after. Accented with a black banding of Unilock Series 3000 the walkway stands out beautifully!

Project Specs

Date: June 2015

Category: Front Entrance

Location: Tillsonburg, ON

Type: Residential

Value: $12,000 – $14,000

Project Details

The armourstone to the right helps to continue the dark grey tones throughout the front and adds dimension to the garden bed which would otherwise be flat or typically mounded. Planting evergreen boxwoods along the walkway really define the entranceway and help to draw your eye towards the front door. The linear planting style complements the linear stone pattern and maintains an orderly fashion to the overall look. Everything is evenly spaced and left with room to grow which. Foundation planting not only helps to soften the hardscaping but with the right plant choices also add colour to the front of the house all year long.

By creating an oversized bottom step it serves as a small patio or landing pad and is a great place to chat as company is coming or going on a nice day. Its asymmetrical design also adds a contemporary flair to an otherwise very rectangular design. These small details are what makes a Courtland PM design stand out from the crowd.

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Courtland services commercial, residential, and industrial properties of every shape and size in London, Tillsonburg, Woodstock & Surrounding Area. Our team is committed to treating each and every property as a unique responsibility.